Marko Arnautovic’s early goal was the spark West Ham needed to stun Chelsea 1-0 at the iconic Olympic Stadium on a thrilling Saturday afternoon, as David Moyes secured his first win of the season.
Arnautovic combined brilliantly with Manuel Lanzini before coolly slotting the ball into the bottom left corner, putting West Ham ahead early on.
Chelsea’s Alvaro Morata came close to an equaliser late in the game when N’Golo Kante set him up behind the Hammers’ defence, but the Spaniard’s first-time shot narrowly missed the target.
Match Highlights
The match kicked off with a bang as Arnautovic’s strike gave West Ham the perfect start. After a clever pass from Michail Antonio, Arnautovic’s give-and-go with Lanzini paved the way for the stunning finish past Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta and Thibaut Courtois.
Ten minutes later, Chelsea thought they had a penalty when Morata was challenged by Winston Reid in the box, but referee Anthony Taylor decided there was no foul to award a spot-kick.
West Ham’s goalkeeper, Adrian, justified his selection ahead of Joe Hart with a spectacular double save on the half-hour mark, denying Kante and pushing away a fierce shot from Davide Zappacosta.
West Ham maintained strong possession towards the end of the first half, comfortably navigating around Chelsea’s midfield, but were unable to extend their lead before the break.
The second half saw Chelsea manager Antonio Conte inject fresh energy by bringing on Pedro for Tiemoue Bakayoko, aiming to increase offensive pressure.
West Ham capitalised on a Chelsea error when a poor pass from Gary Cahill gave Antonio a chance to break forward; however, an offside call against Arnautovic halted the opportunity.
Late in the game, West Ham appealed for a penalty after an incident involving Andreas Christensen’s hand in the box during an Arnautovic run, but the referee ruled the contact was accidental and let play continue.
In the last ten minutes, Morata fired wide following a break led by Kante, and Eden Hazard also missed a shot from outside the box.
The 1-0 victory is a remarkable achievement for West Ham, securing their vital first win of the season under David Moyes, lifting them just above the relegation zone, ahead of Crystal Palace and Swansea.
